What we learned from GaGa’s Documentary

We all want to know what life will be like when we make it. Everything will be better when… I will be happy when…. I will feel fulfilled when…..

Five Foot Two, available to watch now on Netflix, shows us the reality of life for Lady Gaga. Within the first two minutes, Gaga tells the audience that now that she has reached her 30’s she knows herself, she feels satisfied, she has no tolerance for bullshit, “all my insecurities are gone, I’m not insecure about who I am as a woman.”

For the remaining hour and thirty seven minutes, however, Gaga appears vulnerable, insecure and deeply, deeply unhappy. She suffers constantly with pain following a hip injury, and she feels incredibly lonely. No amount of doctors, painkillers, massages and friends can give her what she craves, which is to be healthy, and to be loved.

Not many of us can fly by private jet, or perform at the Superbowl. But most of us are healthy, and most of us are loved. Would we swop that for Gaga’s life? Probably, if we’re honest, but we may regret it.

There’s a certain amount of money you can earn that will directly affect your level of happiness. Lets call it “comfortable”. To be able to pay our bills, have a mediocre car that doesn’t break down, maybe have a small rainy day fund in case of a medical emergency.

After that, your earnings stop having any relevance to your level of contentment. How many pairs of shoes are enough? How big does your TV need to be? It eventually gets to a stage where the word “enough” disappears from your vocabulary. You loose touch with reality.

As for fame, has it ever made anyone happy? Probably not. Watch Gaga cry for over an hour if you don’t believe it.

She has lost just as much as anyone else, “It’s a sad day when I’m doing the Super Bowl, and I’m so excited to do it, but I can’t help but realize that when I sold 10 million records, I lost Matt. I sell 30 million, I lose Luc. You know? I get the move, I lose Taylor. It’s like a turnover. This is the third time I’ve had my heart broken like this. I’m alone, Brandon, every night. And all these people will leave. Right? They will leave. And then I’ll be alone. And then I go from everyone touching me all day and talking at me all day to total silence.”

At the end of the day, those of us who crave fame, power and riches will never be happy. Separate what you want, and what you need. Nothing is worth more than having someone to share your life with, good times and bad. Nothing is more important that doing what you love. Create art, music, poetry. Focus on how you can leave the world a better place than you found it. Nobody cares what shoes you wear while you’re doing it…..